On my blogspot blog, I wrote about how the kids and I tackled the 3 layers of roof shingles that needed to be removed from our lawn and piled into the work van.  Here is the rest of the story ...

I overslept this morning, getting up at 9:00 am (I was still tired from yesterday's flurry of work).  Carmen and I did some school work while the boys finished sweeping and raking up what debris was left from the shingles.  Made lunch for the kids, then Chad and I headed for the dump.  It was another beautiful sunny day but no time to play, our work lay ahead of us.

I was so uptight about all this - don't know why.  Guess I just wanted to get it done.  Our work van is a Ford Club and holds like 14 people, if all the seats are in it.  It's huge.  And it was full clear to the top with old shingles.  When we opened up that back door at the dump, I tried not to think about how long it was going to take us.  We just got started shoving shingles out.  Oh, man, am I thankful (so thankful) I have no sense of smell!  Ever been to your city dump?  It makes my skin crawl just being there but to have to get out and stand a few yards away from our lovely city's trash - UGH!  There was a poor little stuffed lion just a few feet away, I quickly covered him with shingles so I didn't have to look him in the eye.

Chad was fascinated.  Every thing that went on, every truck that came in, every resident that hauled their home trash in - he wanted to see it all.  I started thinking about how this was turning into a field trip.  Of sorts.  Chad was a great helper.  He kept right up with me and loved throwing individual shingles as far as he could.  Such energy!  About halfway through, I was starting to drag but I knew if I stopped, I'd never start up again.  We kept going.  Trucks came and went.  I was severely jealous of the contractors that came in with their fancy dump trucks and dump trailers.  Our own residential trash man showed up twice to dump his truck while we were there.  We finally began to feel like the end was approaching which was a good thing because I was dying!  Praying for strength.  Trying not to step on nails.  Wincing at the occasional crawling things that hitched a ride on the shingles during the time they were laying on our lawn.  Trying not to hit Chad with flying shingles and nails (that was a bit difficult!)  And then I got something in my eye and I had no way of removing my contact.  I took a deep breath and really prayed for God's help.  I had to finish.  HAD TO!  Down to the end.  We tried to pull the tarp out to get all the last few piles but the darn thing wouldn't budge.  I swore.  I sweated.  Finally, I'd had it.  I got out of the van, leaned against it and cried.  I couldn't stop crying, I felt defeated.  Chad, coming to my rescue, got in the back of the van and pulled that tarp.  It wouldn't budge.  Then he shouted, "Let's push it from behind!"  And that did it!  It hit the ground and I beat it with a broom.  Death to the shingles!  We were victorious!

By now, I was down to a tank top and disheveled.  We unceremoniously drove up to the scale.  I walked to the window where they said, "We thought we'd lost you!"  We had been there nearly 2 hours.  The fee?  $140.00!  I just looked at the workers.  They looked back.  I finally said, "It could have been worse!"  We moved 3240 lbs of shingles.  I know.  I was there.